Feud within TMC? Kalyan Banerjee blames Kirti Azad for leaking 'infighting' WhatsApp chats

NEW DELHI: TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee on Tuesday accused his party MP Kirti Azad of divulging the party's internal conversations about the alleged public spat in the Election Commission headquarters earlier this month.
In his first reaction, Kalyan Banerjee admitted that an altercation did take place, but blamed Azad for provoking him and leaking the chats.
"It was Kirti Azad who provoked me and was lecturing me on what to do. He has leaked the WhatsApp chats," Banerjee said.
The controversy erupted after BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya shared a video on social media, claiming it showed a public altercation between two TMC MPs at the EC office on April 4. Malviya also released screenshots of a heated exchange between the MPs in the party’s official WhatsApp group.
Also read: Kalyan Banerjee, woman MP and Kirti Azad: Trinamool infighting out in open as BJP shares leaked video, chats of 'ugly spat'
The situation allegedly became so heated that police intervention was necessary to calm the MPs. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was reportedly informed who subsequently asked both parliamentarians to resolve their differences.
The dispute, however, apparently continued on a WhatsApp group named 'AITC MP 2024'. In screenshots shared by Malviya, Kalyan Banerjee made cryptic references to a "versatile international lady," writing: "Today I Congratulate the gentleman who opened the beautiful activities of versatile international lady... Today of course 30 years famous player stood behind her to get me arrested."
Malviya, while sharing these exchanges on X (formerly Twitter), pointed to the mysterious identity of the "versatile international lady" mentioned in the messages, leaving it open to speculation.
TMC turned against Kalyan after the reported confrontation and accused him of misbehaving with a women MP.
"We are saddened, this should not have happened. I do not know whether this clash truly occurred or not. But if it did, it’s unfortunate,” senior Trinamool Congress leader and MP Saugata Roy said.
“Many of our party members wanted to complain to Mamata Banerjee, but whether they did or not, I don't know. Kalyan Banerjee misbehaved with a lady MP, she protested and revolted and then all the MPs went against Kalyan Banerjee,” he added.
Meanwhile, following the altercation, the woman MP exited the WhatsApp group and sent letters to both Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, news agency PTI reported.
A senior TMC leader, who requested anonymity, told PTI said the argument occurred last week when a party delegation had gone to the EC to submit a memorandum